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2012 Presenters

(Times are subject to change, make sure to check back for updates)

Friday, September 28, 2012

8:45-9:30pm

Lawrence Reed- "Learning the Lessons of Ancient Rome and Panem" following The Hunger Games

Lawrence W. (“Larry”) Reed became president of FEE in 2008. Prior to that, he was a founder and president for twenty years of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan. He also taught Economics full-time and chaired the Department of Economics at Northwood University in Michigan from 1977 to 1984.

He holds a B.A. degree in Economics from Grove City College (1975) and an M.A. degree in History from Slippery Rock State University (1978), both in Pennsylvania. He holds two honorary doctorates, one from Central Michigan University (Public Administration—1993) and Northwood University (Laws—2008).

A champion for liberty, Reed has authored over 1,000 newspaper columns and articles, dozens of articles in magazines and journals in the U. S. and abroad. His writings have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, among many others. He has authored or co-authored five books, the most recent ones being “A Republic—If We Can Keep It” and “Striking the Root: Essays on Liberty.” He is frequently interviewed on radio talk shows and has appeared as a guest on numerous television programs, including those anchored by Judge Andrew Napolitano and John Stossel on FOX Business News.

Reed has delivered at least 75 speeches annually in the past 30 years—in virtually every state and dozens of countries from Bulgaria to China to Bolivia. His best-known lectures include “Seven Principles of Sound Policy” and “Great Myths of the Great Depression”—both of which have been translated into more than a dozen languages and distributed worldwide.

His interests in political and economic affairs have taken him as a freelance journalist to 78 countries on six continents. He is a member of the prestigious Mont Pelerin Society and an advisor to numerous organizations around the world. He served for 15 years as a member of the board (and one term as president) of the State Policy Network. His numerous recognitions include the “Champion of Freedom” award from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and the “Distinguished Alumni” award from Grove City College.

He is a native of Pennsylvania and a 30-year resident of Michigan, and now resides in Newnan, Georgia.

Saturday, September 29th, 2012

12:45-1:30pm

Dr. Alex Padilla- "Politics without Romance: How Politics Created Crony Capitalism" following Battle for Brooklyn

Alex Padilla is an Associate Professor of Economics and the Director of the Exploring Economic Freedom Project at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. He earned aB.S., M.A., and Doctorate in Economics from the University of Paul Cézanne (formerly known as University of Aix-Marseille III). He has published several academic articleson insider trading. His other research interests are in studying self-governance mechanisms in non-traditional industries. He has appeared on 9News and Fox NewsDenver to discuss topics such as immigration, freedom of speech, and the mortgage market.

Tony Ryan, board member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, was a Denver police officer for more than 36 years. During his career,Tony received numerous awards from the Denver Police Department, including the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the Merit Award, and the Community Service Award. He was also named Footprinters Officer of the Year and received a Life Saving Award from the Denver Fire Department. Through his experiences as a police officer enforcing the war on drugs, Tony has come to believe that our current drug policy is a failed policy for many reasons, particularly its effect on law enforcement. As a law enforcement officer with front-line experience in the failed war on drugs, he brings a unique perspective and has incredible stories to tell.

8:15-9:00pm

Isaac Morehouse- "How to Change the World" following Amazing Grace

Isaac Morehouse is a Gifts Officer at the Institute for Humane Studies where he helps raise support for the Institute's programs. Morehouse previously directed educational programs and policy programs and mentored students at IHS.

Prior to IHS, Isaac worked at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy where he created and directed Students for a Free Economy. Morehouse also spent over three years in the Michigan House of Representatives, was involved in a small business startup, founded an international humanitarian nonprofit, and ran a local taxpayer advocacy group.

In addition to his work in fund raising, Isaac is a frequent lecturer to student groups on economic ideas, communication skills, the philosophy of freedom and more. He holds a master's degree in economics with a focus on the Austrian School from the University of Detroit Mercy, and he received his bachelor's degree in political science and philosophy from Western Michigan University.

Morehouse lives in Mt. Pleasant, SC, with his wife and kids.

Sunday, September 30th, 2012

11:00-11:45am

Dr. Amy H. Sturgis-"'Fly For Your Lives': The State, Ideology, and Ethnic Cleansing" following The Soviet Story

Amy H. Sturgis author, editor, scholar, educator, speaker, and podcaster with specialties in the fields of Science Fiction/Fantasy and Native American Studies. She earned her Ph.D. in intellectual history from Vanderbilt University and teaches interdisciplinary studies at Lenoir-Rhyne University and the Mythgard Institute. Sturgis serves on the advisory board of Mythopoeic Press and various awards committees for the Libertarian Futurist Society, contributes to the Hugo Award-winning StarShipSofa podcast and the Liberty and Power history weblog, and is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society.

Sturgis is author of four books on U.S. presidential history and Native American studies (Presidents from Washington through Monroe, Presidents from Hayes through McKinley, The Trail of Tears and Indian Removal, and Tecumseh: A Biography), five edited works on science fiction and fantasy (The Intersection of Fantasy and Native America: From H.P. Lovecraft to Leslie Marmon Silko, The Magic Ring, Past Watchful Dragons: Fantasy and Faith in the World of C.S. Lewis, The Magic Goblet, and The Demon of Brockenheim), and dozens of other scholarly and mainstream book chapters, articles and presentations. In 2006, she was honored with the Imperishable Flame Award for Achievement in Tolkien/Inklings Scholarship.

She also contributes regular "History of the Genre" features to and narrates contemporary science fiction stories for the UK-based podcast StarShipSofa. In both 2009 and 2011, she was honored with The Sofanaut Award in Podcasting for Best Fact Article Contributor. In 2010, it became the first podcast ever to win a Hugo Award. Her official website is amyhsturgis.com.

1:00- 1:45pm

Dr. Diana Hsieh- "Equality: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" f

ollowing Free or Equal

Dr. Diana Hsieh received her Ph.D in philosophy from University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. Her dissertation argued that Thomas Nagel's "problem of moral luck" can be resolved by an Aristotelian theory of moral responsibility. Now she focuses on the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. Her live "Philosophy in Action" internet radio show broadcasts live on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Those live broadcasts and the archived podcasts can be heard at PhilosophyInAction.com.